'I voted' stickers won't return, but Chicagoans who vote will get wristbands

Anthony Souffle / Chicago Tribune

Election judge Cynthia Greene readies wristbands that read, "I voted! Did you?" for handing out to voters in lieu of stickers Oct. 7, 2016, during early voting at the Dunne Cook County Office Building in Chicago.

Election judge Cynthia Greene readies wristbands that read, "I voted! Did you?" for handing out to voters in lieu of stickers Oct. 7, 2016, during early voting at the Dunne Cook County Office Building in Chicago. (Anthony Souffle / Chicago Tribune)

No, the "I voted" stickers aren't coming back. But the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners is distributing wristbands — the kind handed out at street festivals — that read, "I voted! Did you?" Officials hope to appease those who complained about not being able to show their pride about casting a ballot.

"There were a few voters over the years who said they really want a sticker, actually a large number of voters who said they want a sticker, so we tried to balance what the voters wanted and what our polling place owners wanted," said Jim Allen, spokesman for the election board.

Businesses including car dealerships, beauty salons and even bars serve as polling places in Chicago in addition to libraries, schools and churches. In the past, when stickers were handed out, some ended up on the businesses' doorways and windows and owners complained about having to scrape them off, Allen said. The city did away with the stickers.

Bracelets, Allen said, "don't have that issue, and we think they're going to have big play on social media with selfies."

During the primary election, some disappointed city voters tweeted about the absence of stickers, which are offered in suburban Cook County. The Cook County clerk's office said it has distributed stickers since the early 2000s and hasn't received complaints. Last year, the clerk's office spent $8,900 for an order of 2.5 million stickers expected to last five elections and considered the stickers to be a voter outreach tool, reminding people to vote and helping build excitement for the election.

Allen said the wristbands — enough for 1.5 million registered voters — are expected to have a similar effect. The election board paid $28,000, which came out to be less than 2 cents per wristband, using a combination of city and county funds, he said.

"We think the more chances you have for people to express their enthusiasm for voting and having participated, the better chances that image will go viral and encourage more people to participate," he said.

Anthony Souffle / Chicago Tribune

Scott Hamilton of the Uptown neighborhood votes Oct. 7, 2016, during early voting at the Dunne Cook County Office Building in Chicago.

Scott Hamilton of the Uptown neighborhood votes Oct. 7, 2016, during early voting at the Dunne Cook County Office Building in Chicago. (Anthony Souffle / Chicago Tribune)

The wristbands have been available since Sunday at the Chicago's only early voting site at 69 W. Washington St. That site shifts its operations on Monday to what's billed as a "Loop Super Site," a former Walgreens store at 15 W. Washington St. where there will be 150 touch-screen voting machines to handle the crush of voters expected in the week leading up to Election Day on Nov. 8.

Voters can get wristbands at any of the early voting sites in the wards beginning Oct. 24 and at any polling place on Election Day.